Conventionally, an operating device including a rotation operating knob which is rotated has been provided in an instrument panel or the like in an automobile. When the rotation operating knob is rotated, the operated object, such as temperature or amount of air flow for an air conditioner, is operated.
For example, Related Art 1 discloses an operating device in which two rotation operating knobs are positioned in a line to left and right on a panel. Specifically, in addition to the two rotation operating knobs, the operating device includes a circuit board, two holding members, and a switch element. The circuit board is positioned on a rear side of the panel. The two rotation operating knobs are provided to a left and right position, respectively, on the circuit board. The two holding members hold each of the rotation operating knobs. The rotation operating knobs are capable of rotation around mutually parallel rotation axes. The switch element detects the rotation of each of the rotation operating knobs.
In the conventional operating device, the two rotation operating knobs are aligned in positions separated from each other. Therefore, installation space markedly increases. The required surface area of the circuit board also increases. Moreover, each of the rotation operating knobs is individually held by a respective holding member. Therefore, the number of components in the entire operating device increases. This increases the weight of the operating device and magnifies time and effort for installation.